The field of nonwoven fabric laminates has been well developed to devise fabrics with both machine and cross directional stretch properties utilizing conventional lamination which consists of heat and/or adhesives to produce the final product. The present state of the art includes use of multi-layer fabrics of fibrous composition to provide for the entanglement process. Prior art utilizes composites that are formed by employing a multitude of layers including elastomeric spunbond, elastomeric fibers including natural and synthetic fibers, and films. Certain combinations of such fabrics are typically laminated, glued together requiring a more costly manufacturing process.
The prior art utilizes hydroentanglement to entangle fibers into an elastomeric spunbond and some of these fibers may be thermobond fibers or hydroentangle elastomeric fibers together to form a composite material.
The present invention provides for a resilient elastomeric comprised of soft foam, either open or closed cell, as a composite member to provide strength to the total composite. Disclosed is an elastomeric composite structure utilizing at least one cellular structure material as a composite member such that the individual walls of each cell in such structure could behave like an individual fiber and could thus be entangled using otherwise conventional methods of entanglement.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a superior elastomeric nonwoven fabric and to provide a method of production of same that incorporates foam to be used as both a strength and resilient member in the composite fabric. The disclosed invention provides for superior fabric by utilizing hydroentanglement and at least one layer of suitable cellular material, preferably a foam, a backing wire utilizing either flat wire, medium knuckle wire or high knuckle wire, and at least one layer of wood pulp tissue fabric to be entangled utilizing a hydroentanglement process.
The present invention is a nonwoven, relatively strong web, utilizing at least one layer of elastic foam as a constitute composite member. The present disclosure describes a resulting fabric and a method of producing the fabric resulting in a fabric produced by a hydroentanglement process that provides superior characteristics as compared to similar processes utilizing composite fabrics utilizing fibrous materials as conventionally provided.